If you have osteoarthritis in your shoulder, or a damaged rotator cuff that limits your movement and causes you pain, you may have considered surgery. However, surgery should not be taken lightly as there are risks to any surgery, and one thing you should be very certain of is the reputation of the surgeon who will be operating on you.
Obviously, all surgeons must have their medical degree and be have undertaken a surgical residency before obtaining their Medical License. For a surgeon who is operating on your shoulder you would also want to ensure that they have also taken their Osteopathic Licensing exam (COMLEX). Most surgeons will also become board certified to provide their patients an extra level of confidence and security.
Surgeons Should Specialize
However, not you wouldn’t expect all artists to have the same skill set, the same style or the same abilities, so why would you expect the same in a surgeon? Although there are generalist surgeons, and most surgeons can perform most surgery’s, most Doctors who go into surgery tend to specialize in a particular area. For your shoulder surgery you want to ensure that your orthopedic specialist is experienced in shoulder arthroplasty.
The medical field is not static, new techniques, developments and discoveries are made every single day. Part of being an outstanding surgeon is ensuring that you are at the forefront of these development – which is also why most will specialize, in order to stay the best in a smaller field. You can have a look through this site to find who is using the best shoulder surgery techniques.
Surgery In Buffalo
With over 200 surgeons registered in Buffalo, NY, how do you go about finding the one that will best be able to assist you with your shoulder issues? You may need to look around for a bit, talk to other people who have similar surgeries and find out what their opinions are. However, what is going to make a difference is your interaction with the surgeon.
When you are talking to a specialist do they explain what the procedure is? How much information to they give you, and do you understand everything you are told? Making sure that you understand exactly what is going to happen, and what the risks are is important. Although many people are quite happy to give their trust to their medical practitioner, if you are undergoing surgery you need to know that you are under the hands of someone capable and knowledgeable. Experience is a big thing; you want a surgeon who really does know what they are doing.
Many medical practitioners will understand the latest techniques and be able to use these skills to your benefit. Talk with them about what the benefits are in using these new techniques against more traditional options.
Buffalo is home to one of the oldest medical training facilities in America, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, so you would expect surgeons working in Buffalo to take full advantage of the research and developments to come out of the university. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_at_Buffalo_School_of_Medicine_and_Biomedical_Sciences Do not rely on Google to keep you as up to date as your surgeon. Modern techniques may enable the surgeon to use your own bone in a reconstruction as a more dependable option, meaning less chance of rejection. There are also techniques for surgery that limit the requirement to disconnect rotator cuff muscles. Using a surgeon familiar and comfortable with the latest advancement in shoulder surgery doesn’t just mean you have a new topic of conversation, but that you will have a more stable surgical procedure, with better long-term results for your movement, and usually a faster recovery time.
Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
One of the advantages of choosing a surgeon nearby is that you don’t have to travel afterwards, giving you time to recover properly. If you have decided to travel to Buffalo to find the best care you may need to talk with your surgeon about a referral for ongoing physical therapy and medical check up once you are back home.
Depending on the exact nature of your surgery most people will remain in hospital for up to 5 days to allow for swelling to go down, and any pain to rescind. You will be on antibiotics and offered pain medication. You will need to keep your arm and shoulder still initially; however you should be starting limited physical therapy within a few days. The sooner you start moving your shoulder (in an appropriate manner) the faster you will regain full motion, however, follow the advice of your therapist, and don’t push yourself, or you will do more damage. Full recovery should only take 6-8 weeks for most people.
